Thursday, 16 July 2015

An under-strength Arsenal qualify for the final on Saturday, when they will meet Everton. Goals from Chuba Akpom and Jack Wilshere helped the Gunners to a comfortable win over the hosts.

SINGAPORE: An under-strength Arsenal side qualified for the final of the Barclays Asia Trophy on Saturday (Jul 18), beating a gutsy Singapore Select XI 4-0 on Wednesday evening.

A hat-trick from academy striker Chuba Akpom and a goal from the spot by England international Jack Wilshere helped the Gunners on their way to the win. The referee awarded two penalties to Arsenal, with Wilshere and Akpom both converting in front of a crowd of 29,867 at the National Stadium.

However, the match was also notable for the absentees from the match-day squad, with stars such as new keeper Petr Cech, Mesut Ozil, Theo Walcott, Santi Cazorla and Laurent Koscielny not used.

On the field, the more established players such as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jack Wilshere, Mathieu Debuchy and Francis Coquelin all played their part to put the Gunners through the final.

Akpom, too, showed that he might be ready for the step-up into the first team with his pace and movement up top a constant worry for the host’s backline. This was particularly evident in the second half as the players in red tired.

The Singapore Select XI did not “park the bus”, as coach V Sundramoorthy promised too, which helped make for a more entertaining spectacle. The side held their own in the first half, with some composed, slick passing, but the visiting side’s better fitness and skills eventually shone through.

Ultimately, local Gunners fans were treated to a glimpse of the future when most of the academy youngsters were substituted in for the last half hour. The likes of Hector Bellerin, who had a breakthrough 2014/15 season, Gedion Zelalem and Jon Toral, who won the second penalty, all played a part in the comfortable victory.

"Singapore played really well, actually. Better than expected," said Nana Afiq, 16. "I thought they would be trashed 6-0, especially the second half. "I've been a fan of Arsenal since I was 8, so it's a huge achievement for me to get autographs and a picture with them as well. I'm really proud of you guys!"

"This is the first time we're watching an Arsenal match live," said Suyash, 28, and Vishesh, 30. "We've been fans for 11 years since 2004. We were so happy when they got the penalty kick. A great performance, keep winning, we are looking forward to seeing you on Saturday!"

SINGAPORE SIDE 'ELECTRIFYING'

During the post-match press conference, Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger acknowledged that he left out nine players from the match-day squad with an eye on Saturday. “The players only came back on Friday, and I wanted them to have at least a week of training before they play,” he said.

As to whether the nine, including Cech, Cazorla and Ozil, will feature in the final against Everton on Saturday, Arsene said he has “not decided yet but we will see then, of course”.

He also took time to praise the Singapore Select XI, saying they were “very electrifying” in the first half, with the starting 11 all catching the eye. "I don’t know what they had for lunch,” Arsene said. “They didn’t create much, but it was difficult to get the ball off them."

Singapore Select XI coach V Sundramoorthy, too, said his side played well and “were unlucky with the two penalties”, otherwise the final score would be “more respectable”.

On the drop in performance in the second half, Sundram said: “For us, the games were played on fasting month unfortunately. Most of the boys were fasting. I wish that these games were played after the fasting month, and then we could have played the same way as we did in the first half.”

However, for midfielder Shahdan Sulaiman, the match was a “big eye opener”. “It was a really good footballing lesson,” he said, particularly the way they played through his team’s midfield.

"It was very enjoyable," Oxlade-Chamberlain said. "I think there were up to 30,000 fans, most of which had Arsenal shirts and were cheering for us so that's always very nice, especially when you're so far away from home."

Friday, 10 July 2015

Singapore defender says local players should aim to play abroad to further hone their skills

Safuwan Baharudin (in white), making his debut for Melbourne City against Melbourne Victory, did well in his stint in the A-League. In six appearances for the club in a variety of positions, he impressed fans by scoring twice and also bagging a Man-of-the-Match award. PHOTO COURTESY OF MELBOURNE CITY FC

By Sanjay Nair(ST)

Safuwan Baharudin wants a second shot at the A-League and has urged more of his compatriots to test themselves further afield.

The defender made regional headlines in January by being the first Singaporean to play in Australia's top league, joining Melbourne City on a three-month loan. However, he returned prematurely in April after suffering a back injury.

"I have unfinished business there, I would love to return to Melbourne if they want me," the 23-year-old told The Straits Times. "If another A-League club comes calling, I would consider it too, even if it's a short-term contract."

Yesterday, Safuwan - who was also the first Asean player to play in the A-League since Thai forward Sutee Suksomkit in 2009 - received some encouraging news from Down Under.

In an interview with ESPN FC, Melbourne City captain Patrick Kisnorbo said the Singaporean was "too good to not be playing overseas", referring to him as "a great player who can play in the A-League with any club".

The former Australia international praised his versatility and desire to learn - traits which made Safuwan a quick fan favourite at the sister club of former English champions Manchester City.

In six A-League appearances in a variety of positions, he scored twice and earned a Man-of-the- Match award, helping Melbourne City achieve their highest-ever finish of fifth.

Safuwan was all set to feature in their play-off run alongside team-mates such as former Chelsea star Damien Duff until he injured his spine against Wellington Phoenix on April 12.

The Singapore international was ruled out of the rest of the A-League season, and was subsequently released from his contract.

Yet, he returned to LionsXII duty in the Malaysia Super League (MSL) within two weeks, sparking rumours of personal issues or his inability to settle in Melbourne.

Safuwan denied the claims, noting how his wife Alia Qistina had given up her air stewardess job to stay at their furnished two-bedroom apartment in the Docklands.

"I had - and still have - the goal of living in Melbourne for a long time," said the former Singapore Sports School student, whose contract with the LionsXII expires at the end of the season.

"Australia has one of the best leagues in Asia and I want to test myself away from home.

"We need more Singaporeans playing around the world to boost our profile and improve our skills."

It is perhaps a different mindset from Singapore midfielder Hariss Harun, who reportedly turned down a move to Portuguese side Rio Ave in 2013, in favour of a more lucrative deal with MSL champions Johor Darul Takzim.

LionsXII goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud - also a Johor target - faces a similar choice after being offered a trial at J-League club Matsumoto Yamaga following his stellar display in the Lions' 0-0 World Cup qualifying draw against Japan earlier this month.

Safuwan's own prospects look promising ahead of the new A-League season, which will kick off in October.

Just two of the 10 teams have filled their quota of five foreign players so far. Melbourne City, coached by Dutchman John van't Schip, have two available slots.

Safuwan had earned his first stint after impressing in the club's mid-season training camp that was held in Abu Dhabi.

He said: "I don't think I need another trial. I hope my time there has proven my ability to mix it with the best in Australia.

Thursday, 2 July 2015

'You're too good to not be playing overseas.' That's the message to Singapore international Safuwan Baharudin from his former Melbourne City captain Patrick Kisnorbo, the ex-Leicester City and Leeds United defender.

Safuwan spent three months with the A-League side earlier this year, playing six competitive games as part of a loan deal from LionsXII. He scored two goals and helped the sister club of English giants, Manchester City, secure a play-off spot.

Apart from Safuwan's debut against Melbourne Victory on Feb. 7 when he was used as a midfielder, the 23-year-old played as a left or right fullback alongside central defender Kisnorbo in the Melbourne City back four. And the City skipper was impressed by what he saw

"Safuwan is a great player who can play in the A-League with any club," Kisnorbo told ESPN FC. "He is versatile and can fit into any team environment. He is a winner and someone that has a tremendous desire to learn.

"His best attributes were working in our team environment where he was able to adapt very quickly. He was very trustworthy which is very important in playing in defence."

Safuwan has scored for both club and country side returning from his Melbourne City stint. Picture credit: FAS

Safuwan cut short his A-League stay at the end of April citing a back injury, yet returned to LionsXII duty in the Malaysia Super League (MSL) within two weeks. He's continued his goal-scoring form with LionsXII -- he was on the scoresheet in the 2-1 defeat at PDRM last Saturday while grabbing a brace in the Singapore national team's 4-0 victory in Cambodia last month -- and was part of the successful Malaysia FA Cup winning team on May 23.

Kisnorbo, who has earned 18 international caps for Australia and played alongside captain Lucas Neill at the 2007 AFC Asian Cup in Thailand, was sorry to see Safuwan go.

"Safuwan should test himself to go to the best level he can," he said. "He should play wherever he will improve.

"He is a player that I'm happy to say was great around the dressing room and helped the team a lot in pressure games which shows the kind of character that he has."

Kisnorbo, 34, who also played in the Scottish Premier League with Edinburgh club Hearts, recently signed a one-year contract extension with Melbourne City, a club he joined in 2013.

Safuwan Baharudin and former Leicester City captain Patrick Kisnorbo played together in defence for Melbourne City last season.

His career highlights include being named Leeds United Player of the Year in 2009-10, being part of a Leeds side that knocked out Manchester United from the FA Cup that same season, and scoring his first international goal in 2009 as Australia faced South Korea in Seoul.

He added that he would be open to a move to Asia at the completion of his Melbourne City contract. "I've never played Asian club football so this might be a good experience for me in the future," he said.

"But for now, I'm focusing on the upcoming A-League season with Melbourne City."

Safuwan's next assignment is a MSL home match against Kelantan at Jalan Besar Stadium on Saturday in what is a rematch of May's FA Cup final.

Thursday, 18 June 2015

Japan striker Keisuke Honda gestures after missing a shot during the second half of Tuesday night’s 2016 World Cup Asian qualifying match against Singapore at Saitama Stadium.

By Sean Carroll / Special to The Japan News

SAITAMA — Being booed off the pitch under a steady downpour wasn’t how Japan’s World Cup qualifying campaign was supposed to start.

The Samurai Blue had been ruthless in Vahid Halilhodzic’s first three friendly games in charge, and was expected to saunter through its second-round Asian qualifying group for the 2018 competition in Russia.

Reality hit home with a thud at Saitama Stadium on Tuesday, though, as lowly Singapore held on for a historic 0-0 draw to leave the hosts shellshocked.

“After that kind of result it can’t be helped,” Keisuke Honda said of the team’s unfavorable reception as it trudged off. “It’s only to be expected.”

Maya Yoshida agreed.

“It is what it is,” the ashen-faced Southampton defender replied when asked about the jeering. “If you don’t win at home against a team that’s considered to be of a lower rank, then that’s bound to happen.”

“Of course it’s a shock, but we can turn things around,” Honda added. “We’ve only just started and this shows just how difficult the qualifiers for the World Cup are.

“These kind of things happen. Individually we had to convert our chances. We weren’t just taking easy shots, though, and they also defended well.”

That was especially true of Singapore goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud, who had a sensational 90 minutes between the posts, repelling strike after strike with a series of stunning saves.

“They were coming for 45 minutes, that was all I could see,” a beaming Mahbud told reporters of the second-half siege Japan laid on his goal. “I just tried my best to save every ball. I think it was my day.”

Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima was impressed with his counterpart’s display, but suggested that the Samurai Blue need to address the age-old issue of profligacy in front of goal.

“I don’t think we can talk about luck,” the 32-year-old said. “We have to come to terms with the fact that while we were making plenty of chances, we weren’t able to score on any of them.

“We had a similar game aiming for the 2014 World Cup here against North Korea, where the ball just wouldn’t go in until Maya [Yoshida] finally scored right at the end. I want for us to be able to overcome those kind of games.”

Hiroki Sakai conceded that Japan’s end product left something to be desired, but insisted that the side doesn’t need to adjust the way it plays against compact teams that sit back and aim to soak up pressure.

“It’s not a case of just committing players forward,” the Hannover 96 defender said. “If we can change the final quality then things will be different. The important thing is to keep going and have that belief.”

Keeping the faith is not always easy when slip-ups prompt boos, and Tomoaki Makino — who hit the post with one of Japan’s clearest chances — admitted that the players are affected by the expectations heaped upon them.

“Of course we felt it,” the Urawa Reds defender said. “The game was a sellout and the atmosphere when we came out onto the pitch was incredible.

“We wanted to take three points from this game, to play the football the coach is aiming for with fast, direct passes. I think that was on display on the pitch, but the accuracy of the final shots wasn’t quite there.”

The self-proclaimed “mood-maker” was adamant, like Sakai, that the team was not despondent and still dedicated to playing its traditional style of patient, passing football when the next qualifier comes around on Sept. 3 against Cambodia — and already looking ahead to gaining revenge on Singapore in the return fixture.

“After the game the words flying around among the coach and players were that we have to carry this on into the next game and make sure that when we play Singapore away we bring back the three points,” he said.

SAITAMA – Japan got its 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign off to an embarrassing start after being held to a 0-0 home draw by Singapore on Tuesday.

A crowd of 57,533 arrived at Saitama Stadium expecting to see Japan, which is bidding to claim a place at a sixth straight World Cup, breeze past Singapore, which is ranked 154th in the world and has never qualified for the world’s top tournament.

But an inspired performance by Singapore goalkeeper Mohamad Izwan and some wasteful finishing by Japan meant that the game finished scoreless, giving the home side a reality check after winning its first three games under new manager Vahid Halilhodzic.

“I’ve never seen a situation like this before in my career,” said Halilhodzic. “We kept creating chances and the players gave everything to get the win. The only thing that was missing was a goal.

“If we had been able to get a goal, then it would have turned out to be a different game. It’s difficult to accept but there is no need to be despondent.”

Japan, which is ranked 52nd, has also been grouped with Afghanistan, Cambodia and Syria in its opening qualifying round, but Singapore now holds the early upper hand after beating Cambodia 4-0 in its first match.

“At home, in front of great support like this, we have to win,” said captain Makoto Hasebe. “When you play against a team that is well organized like tonight, you have to play faster than we did. We’ve only just started and we need to take the frustration from tonight and use it to our advantage.”

Japan began the match with only one change from the lineup that beat Iraq 4-0 in a friendly last Thursday, with FC Tokyo’s Kosuke Ota replacing the injured Yuto Nagatomo at left back.

Shinji Kagawa forced a flying save out of Izwan in the 12th minute as Japan quickly settled into an attacking rhythm, before Shinji Okazaki shot wide after a surge forward from Hasebe.

Kagawa tried again in the 23rd minute before Okazaki failed to finish off a flowing passing move soon after, and Tomoaki Makino headed a corner wide as Japan began to approach halftime with the game still scoreless.

Kagawa almost threaded the ball into the net despite close attention from the Singapore defense as the second half got underway, but Japan still could not find the target as Takashi Usami wasted a series of chances to break the deadlock.

The home side’s task was made even more difficult by Izwan’s heroics in the Singapore goal, and the ‘keeper pulled off a fantastic save to claw Okazaki’s header off the line in the 55th minute.

Halilhodzic threw on another striker when he replaced Kagawa with Yuya Osako six minutes later, but Izwan again denied Japan with another brilliant save from a Keisuke Honda header.

Photo: Japan Times

Honda then hit the crossbar from a free kick before the ‘keeper smothered Usami’s rebound shot, and although Japan proceeded to throw everything at the visitors in a grandstand finish, Singapore held firm to claim a point that few saw coming at the start of the evening.

“If you don’t take your chances, then this is the kind of result that you get,” said Okazaki. “We defended well but we just couldn’t put the ball in the net.”